Describe, Predict, EvaluateChina Today Matrix

Directions1. Read each slide and fill in the description for each problem.

2. After each group has written the description, I will present the problem, issue, or question.

3. Work as a group to answer the Evaluation Question. Write your group’s answer in the appropriate box.

4. Discuss as a class.

5. Work as a group to answer the Prediction Question. Write your group’s answer in the appropriate box.

6. Discuss as a class.

Descripe

• China is the most populated country in the world. 1.3 billion people live in China. Most of China’s people live in rural areas, but many Chinese are starting to move to the cities.

Evaluate

• Why have Chinese people started to move towards the cities?

Predict• Using the graph below, what will happen to each line and why?

China’s Projected Urban Population

Population

in %

Year

DEscripte

• China’s economic and urban growth has created serious environmental problems such as pollution. China burns a lot of coal, which pollutes the air. Another serious problem is deforestation and the loss of farmland. For years, the Chinese cut down trees and mined the land without preservation.

Evaluate

• What factors could be causing the rise in pollution and the loss of land? What are some possible solutions to ease the pollution problem?

PREdict

• If China does not solve its environmental issues, what could potentially happen to China and its status as a world power and why?

DEscribe

• For a long time, China used to only have a command economy, but in the 1970s, China began to allow their citizens to choose their jobs, decide what to make and sell, and how much to sell it for.

Evaluate

• Why do you think China’s command economy caused problems?

Predict

• Do you think that China will continue to release its hold on the economy and allow their citizens to make economical decisions? Why or why not?

Describe

• China’s communist government controls many aspects of life and limits many political freedoms. In the past, China has had to put down various rebellions such as the revolt in Tibet (1959) and the pro-democracy protest in Tiananmen Square (1989). China’s government has also limited the number of children that certain families can have due to population issues.

Evaluate

• Do you think nations like the United States should limit trade with other nations that violate human rights like China? Why or why not?

PRedict

• What would happen if the United States decided to implement similar laws and practices that China uses?